Collecting client data for wireless client devices

Abstract

This disclosure describes a system including a plurality of access point (AP) devices configured to provide a wireless network at a site; and a network management system (NMS) including a memory storing AP-side data collected by the plurality of AP devices and storing client-side data collected by a plurality of client devices connected to one or more of the AP devices to access the wireless network. The NMS is configured to correlate the client-side data for a particular client device of the plurality of client devices with a device identifier of the particular client device; associate, based on the device identifier, the client-side data for the particular client device and the AP-side data for the particular client device; analyze the client-side data and the associated AP-side data for the particular client device to detect a wireless issue; and output a notification including an indication of the wireless issue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of access point (AP) devices configured to provide a wireless network at a site; and   a network management system (NMS) comprising:
 a memory storing AP-side data collected by the plurality of AP devices and storing client-side data collected by a plurality of client devices connected to one or more of the AP devices to access the wireless network; and 
 one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to:
 correlate the client-side data for a particular client device of the plurality of client devices with a device identifier of the particular client device; 
 associate, based on the device identifier, the client-side data for the particular client device and the AP-side data for the particular client device; 
 analyze the client-side data in addition to the associated AP-side data for the particular client device to detect a wireless issue; and 
 output a notification including an indication of the wireless issue. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
 receive the client-side data for the particular client device; and   determine a device identifier for the particular client device from a particular AP device to which the particular client device is connected.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to associate the client-side data for the particular client device with client-side location data for the particular client device based on an identifier assigned to a location application running on the particular client device. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to analyze the client-side data, the one or more processors are configured to determine whether the wireless issue is due to a client device issue or a wireless network issue by first determining whether the particular client device is connected to the wireless network at the site or connected to a cellular network. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to analyze the client-side data, the one or more processors are configured to:
 analyze aggregate correlated data for the plurality of client devices; and   determine whether client devices of a same type or having a same software version are experiencing similar wireless issues.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein to analyze the client-side data, the one or more processors are configured to:
 analyze aggregate correlated data for the plurality of client devices; and   determine whether client devices within a similar location at the site are experiencing similar wireless issues.   
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a network management system, access point (AP)-side data collected by plurality of AP devices configured to provide a wireless network at a site;   receiving, by the network management system, client-side data collected by a plurality of client devices connected to one or more of the AP devices to access the wireless network;   correlating, by the network management system, the client-side data for a particular client device of the plurality of client devices with a device identifier of the particular client device;   associating, based on the device identifier, the client-side data for the particular client device and the AP-side data for the particular client device;   analyzing the client-side data in addition to the associated AP-side data for the particular client device to detect a wireless issue; and   outputting, by the network management system, a notification including an indication of the wireless issue.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 associating the client-side data for the particular client device with client-side location data for the particular client device based on an identifier assigned to a location application running on the particular client device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein analyzing the client-side data comprises determining whether the wireless issue is due to a client device issue or a wireless network issue by first determining whether the particular client device is connected to the wireless network at the site or connected to a cellular network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein analyzing the client-side data comprises:
 analyzing aggregate correlated data for the plurality of client devices; and   determining whether client devices of a same type or having a same software version are experiencing similar wireless issues.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein analyzing the client-side data comprises:
 analyzing aggregate correlated data for the plurality of client devices; and   determining whether client devices within a similar location at the site are experiencing similar wireless issues.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein receiving the client-side data comprises receiving the client-side data from a network management system agent executing on the client device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein receiving the client-side data comprises receiving the client-side data from a third-party system separate from the client device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the wireless issue comprises a client event comprising one of a connection event, a roaming event, and a voice event. 
     
     
         15 . A network management system that manages a plurality of network devices in a network, the network management system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory storing: access point (AP)-side data collected by plurality of AP devices configured to provide a wireless network at a site, and storing client-side data collected by a plurality of client devices connected to one or more of the AP devices to access the wireless network, the memory comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
 correlate the client-side data for a particular client device of the plurality of client devices with a device identifier of the particular client device; 
 associate, based on the device identifier, the client-side data for the particular client device and the AP-side data for the particular client device; 
 analyze the client-side data in addition to the associated AP-side data for the particular client device to detect a wireless issue; and 
 output a notification including an indication of the wireless issue. 
   
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a network management system, client-side data collected by a plurality of client devices connected to one or more access point (AP) devices to access a wireless network provided by the AP devices;   analyzing, by the network management system, client-side data for at least one of the plurality of client devices to detect a client event; and   outputting, by the network management system, a notification including an indication of the client event.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein receiving the client-side data comprises receiving the client-side data from a network management system agent executing on the client device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein receiving the client-side data comprises receiving the client-side data from a third-party system separate from the client device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the client event comprises one of a connection event, a roaming event, and a voice event.